The Confusion Surrounding the Rumored October 9 Protests in Nepal
Kathmandu, Oct. 7 — Over a week has passed since social media platforms began buzzing with posts suggesting that another protest is set to take place on October 9. These messages, particularly on TikTok, have been spreading among younger generations, with captions like “Gen Z, be ready, the next protest will be on October 9.” This has led to widespread speculation and confusion about whether a new wave of Gen Z-led protests is indeed planned.
The posts call for renewed demonstrations, criticizing the interim government for failing to ensure a directly elected prime minister. Some also reference the one-month anniversary of the September 8 demonstration, continuing the fight for justice. Others feature messages such as “Come, King, save the nation,” which have raised concerns among many young activists.
Despite the growing online activity, several Gen Z groups, influencers, and participants in earlier protests have denied any involvement in organizing the rumored event. They have urged people not to believe in rumors, to stay alert, and to avoid unnecessary risks.
No Clear Organizers Behind the Posts
No identifiable group or organization has claimed responsibility for the circulating social media posts about the October 9 protests. The posts lack concrete details or affiliations, and appear to come from scattered individual accounts, some anonymous, others newly created, with unclear origins.
Accounts such as Naya Nepal, Rising Voice of Nepal, and Nepal Updates are among the few calling for protests. Nepal News 24/7, for instance, shared posts like: “At Gundu, main target Mahesh Basnet and his jholeys, Gen Z, are you ready for these dogs.”
These posts often feature recycled footage from the September 8 protest, showing injured demonstrators or those speaking to the media, edited with captions demanding that “the fight must begin again.”
Concerns About Political Manipulation
Gathering spots such as Maitighar (Kathmandu) and Gundu (Bhaktapur), the current residence of CPN-UML chief KP Sharma Oli, have been mentioned in some posts. This has alarmed several Gen Z groups, who suspect political manipulation and opportunistic forces behind the sudden surge in content.
On Reddit, users have been debating whether a protest will actually take place. Gen Z figures have moved swiftly to distance themselves from the rumoured event.
Miraj Dhungana, on TikTok, stated that the Gen Z movement had “already achieved more than expected from the September 8 protest” and that joining another demonstration “without a clear purpose or direction would be meaningless.” His video has garnered over 265,800 likes and 8,000 shares, indicating broad support for restraint and skepticism towards the October 9 calls.
Tanuja Pandey, an active participant in the Gen Z movement, expressed concern over posts that included calls for violence and vandalism, with some even suggesting harm to foreign embassies in Nepal. She added, “It seems more like a protest called by pro-monarchy groups.”
Denials and Calls for Clarity
The Instagram page, Council of Gen Z, with 4,900 followers, released a public notice stating explicitly that there will be no protests on October 8 or 9. The account is linked to the popular Discord community ‘Youth Against Corruption,’ which has more than 160,000 members and is moderated by Hami Nepal.
Prabesh Dahal, another Gen Z movement participant, urged followers to stay calm, saying, “The protest is being organised in a specific area [Gundu], and it seems politically motivated. We do not support such aggressive tactics.”
Several content creators and influencers, including Ratan Karki, Supriya Shrestha (official), Kanxa Fx, who had supported the September 8 Gen Z protests, have also released videos urging people not to be misled.
Renab Bogati, a popular content creator whose posts were widely circulated during Gen Z protests, warned that such politically driven unrest could harm Nepal’s image. “If such actions continue, Nepal could risk being perceived as a terrorist country. We heavily rely on remittances, and such a perception could have severe consequences.”
The Role of New Groups and Unconfirmed Claims
Adding to the confusion, monarchist Durga Prasai had posted a video on September 23 stating that his group would “resume protests after Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath,” pledging to continue “until a Hindu nation is established.”
Many Gen Z groups now suspect that some of the October 9 posts could be linked to such pro-monarchy or politically aligned movements, masquerading as part of the Gen Z campaign.
In a collective response, several Gen Z-led groups issued a joint statement denying any involvement in the speculated October 9 event. Another group, ‘Gen.ZNepal,’ also released a statement on October 3 denying any plans or involvement in the rumoured protest.
The Emergence of NTEK-Z
After Gen Z groups confirmed no protest was planned for October 9, many users welcomed the clarification. However, on Tuesday evening, a post began circulating that NTEK-Z, a previously unknown group led by Surendra Gharti, had obtained permission from the Kathmandu chief district officer (CDO) to organise a peaceful demonstration at Maitighar Mandala on October 9.
The letter, shared by Surendra Magar on his Facebook page, stated that during a meeting of the NTEK-Z team on Tuesday, the group decided to organise a peaceful event and assembly at Maitighar on October 9, from 10 am to 3:00 pm. It also requested the administration to arrange necessary security measures.
Magar accompanied the letter with a post identifying himself as the organiser, writing that the “CDO has granted permission for the grand campaign on October 9.”
According to Muktiram Rijal, the information officer at the CDO, the group did receive official permission for the event. He said, “Permission for a peaceful demonstration in areas designated by the government is open to everyone.”
However, it remains unclear whether other social media posts calling for protests on Thursday are connected to the same NTEK-Z group. Various accounts have shared differing agendas, ranging from demands for a directly elected prime minister, reinstatement of the monarchy, to calls for anti-corruption action and demonstrations targeting political leaders at Gundu.
What is clear, though, is that Gen Z groups have not endorsed or organised any protests on October 9.
